For years the quad market has been nibbled at by side-by-side (SxS) vehicles with their better carrying capacity and driver protection and, depending on options, shelter from the elements.

About 400 fish were released recently into the Rangitata River in a joint salvage operation by central South Island Fish & Game and Mayfield Hinds Irrigation Ltd (MHIL).

The nostalgia button is being pushed with releases of chocolate bar flavours from the past, milk in traditional glass bottles and constant references to food “as it was meant to be”.

The retiring Federated Farmers president, Dr William Rolleston, is warning farmers that they will soon be “chasing the tail” of synthetic food producers because of their products’ lesser environmental footprint.

If too many houses replace vegetable growing operations, we may have to look at alternatives such as vertical farming, says Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman.

About 700 people in late May attended a gala awards night in Whangerei, to see Omapere Rangihamama Trust farm, near Kaikohe, awarded the Ahuwhenua Trophy.

LIC Sire Proving Scheme (SPS) Farmers of the Year Bryan and Suzanne Jackson have been in the programme for 18 years.

The new kid on the SUV block will have auto sales and marketing managers burning the midnight oil and scratching their heads as they wonder how to deal with this – the Skoda Kodiaq.

Dairy has got its mojo back. After two challenging seasons, last week brought two items of great news for Fonterra farmers.

I visit New Zealand frequently for my consulting and see trunk disease damage in every region, as I do around the world.